End Of Summer News

Greetings Comrades,

I hope you all had a very groovy summer! Thank you for your continued support, which I greatly appreciate.

First, I’d like to ask you to please vote for me—until 31 August-- at

http://www.alternativeaddiction.com/unknownbands/nextbigthing/

I have made it to the finals, and to win would be quite cool—the “Next Big Thing” (after quite a while making noise). Yes We Can!

My new Technopera, which I released in June—“The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” has had a very positive response, including strong reviews in many international publications, particularly in Europe (3 in Italy so far, with a review slated for October in the highly influential avant-garde Italian magazine “Blow Up”). For links and excerpts from the reviews, go to

http://leenegin.com

I just completed a lengthy interview with the cool blog “The Peverett Phile.” It will be published soon. Stay tuned.

The entire CD was played—from beginning to end—on MusicWorldRadio (UK), and every day in the month of August 30 minutes from the CD (tracks I selected) are being played on Dandelion Radio (UK) on presenter Mark Whitby’s show. See the schedule at

http://www.dandelionradio.com/markw.htm

So far, 4 singles and videos have been released from the Technopera. One video in particular has ‘gone viral’ (in my tiny niche of the universe) with about 21,000 views since its release in June. The track is “(Let’s Join) The Twit Parade.”

http://youtu.be/SWSU62zT1ow

On 22 August, I released 2 new singles and videos from the Technopera. One track, “The Cheeze Spreadz” was previously only available as a bonus track on the Uranus edition of the album. So, it’s a premier for Earthlings. You can watch them at

http://youtu.be/FNhUDb_gmdM?list=UUOG_a3UIDS0EDN-8buHQ48A

And the track “Loan Me a Paradigm” at

http://youtu.be/beeC4qS_Uhg?list=UUOG_a3UIDS0EDN-8buHQ48A

And all of my 25+ videos at

http://www.youtube.com/user/passingphasemusic

It would be much appreciated if you’d watch entire videos, “like” them (click on “like”), subscribe to my channel, click on ‘favorite” and leave a nice comment. Very helpful for me in video rankings!

It’s very gratifying for me that since starting to release videos 4 years ago, I’ve had over 81,000 views on my Youtube channel alone (not including views on Vimeo and other sites).

On 15 August, to celebrate its 20^th anniversary, I (re)released my 1994 album, “Balance,” which I remastered for the occasion. It’s available at iTunes, Amazon and

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/leenegin13

If you haven’t already, please come hang out with the cool kids at

http://www.facebook.com/LeeNegin1

and

https://twitter.com/umeboshiroshi

I am now trying to logistically sort out the equipment, etc. necessary for a European solo tour next summer. Stay tuned. I am also working on a new album, with a planned released in December, or early next year. There will be another video/single or two from the Technopera released over the next few months.

I wish you all a lovely Autumn (or Spring, depending on your hemisphere). Remember, my albums/CDs are available at iTunes and Amazon (Internationally), as well as http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LeeNegin

Streaming is OK, but I make almost nothing from streams. Better than illegal downloading, but not by much!

Be cool,

Lee Negin

http://passingphasemusic.com

Smash Hit of Summer 2014

Lee Negin's epic Technopera, "The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V" has become the biggest smash of Summer 2014! Huge in Mongolia and rising in Uranus, critics are unanimous in their praise....

From a 18 July review in IndieGuild, the premier site for international indie musicians:

"Lee Negin, American by birth and currently residing in Seoul, (is) one of the craziest and most brilliant characters of the contemporary musical scene, as well as one of the precursors of post-punk and the so-called “Detroit Techno” of the 80’s.

…the sounds, arranged and amalgamated in layers and spaced out across eight different channels, at a quality level that rises tens of kilometres above the average standards that we are used to, at times seem to be infinite. It is an avant-garde concept that of Negin’s, which follows faithfully in the footsteps of the teachings of the visionary producer of the Beatles, George Martin, but takes a decisive step forward from a conceptual and technical point of view. Helping him in this achievement is the prestigious sound engineer Pete Maher (noteworthy for his previous work with U2, Patti Smith, Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails) who did the final mastering for an album which was otherwise totally self-produced in Negin’s Seoul studio in the DIY tradition of which he is one of the pioneers. "
full review at
 http://www.indieguild.net/featured/uk-album-reviews/album-review-the-cheeze-chronicles-vol-v/

"Lee Negin's 'The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V'  is not a conventional collection of album tunes.  In breadth, it is operatic.  In scope, it is mesmerising.  The mind is dragged from one sonic experience to the next, sometimes feeling it's been dragged into the depths of space and sometimes back to earth with a rhythmic bang.  It's Lee Negin's most ambitious work yet.  It draws together all the bits that go into making his work so transcendent and mesmerising and slots them all together in one shuddering whole.  This is music for the brain, the guts, the feet and anything else you've got." - Mark Whitby, Dandelion Radio (UK)

"Man, it's a sonic journey of epic proportions. In the world of opera, the Cheeze is mighty indeed. Negin doesn't so much hit the funk button, as kick it all the way to Neptune. I'm loving it." - Simon Humphrey (UK Producer/Engineer: The Clash, Culture Club, David Byrne, Hans Zimmer, Jeff Beck, etc.)

The first video/single from the Technopera, "(Let's Join) The Twit Parade" has already had about 10,000 views since its release 4 weeks ago.

http://youtu.be/SWSU62zT1ow?list=UUOG_a3UIDS0EDN-8buHQ48A

Today, the second single/video, "Just Saying..." was released:

New Major Motion Picture! नई मूवी! Nueva película! 新劇場！Nuovo film! 새로운 영화! סרט חדש! Шинэ Movie! The sequel to the summer blockbuster, "(Let's Join) The Twit Parade," Cheeze Studios proudly presents "Just Saying...." the second single from Lee Negin's interstellar epic Technopera, "The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V"

http://youtu.be/rDKYW7CiPPc

For tickets, herbal refreshments, 3rd Eye Monocle rental or recyclable 5D glasses: http://passingphasemusic.com/

Enjoy the ride! Bon voyage!

Less Likes: More "Love"

 Less Likes: More “Love”

I will try to make this brief (a difficult task for a pedantic, long-winded fart like me). Since returning to active music making 4 years ago, I have amassed well-over 100,000 ‘fans’ between my various Cyberspace sites, critical acclaim in many, many reviews, international airplay and countless messages/comments from ‘fans’ telling me how much they enjoy listening to my music or watching my motion pictures. What they fail to mention is “FOR FREE.”

This is the scourge of the Internet. Just as ‘video killed the radio star’ in the 1980’s, Internet—with streaming, illegal downloads, and countless hacks/posers giving away their mindless dribble for free on soundcloud, etc.—has killed the recording artist. I get ‘streamed’ every day (should spell it ‘reamed’). Each time I make $00.00039. Yes, kids. Less than 1/100^th of $1.00 (an American dollar). No—it does not ‘add up.’ Not for Indie artists. I am not PSY or lady gugu.

Nutshell: I am $40,000 in debt ONLY from musical endeavors in the last 4 years. I am lucky I have a ‘day job’ (university professor), but I live from ‘paycheck’ to ‘paycheck’ and every extra bit I earn, after paying for rent and food, goes into my musical endeavors. I am not singing the ‘white man’s blues,’ I know I am lucky to have a good job (that and 5 university degrees…so luck and effort go hand-in-hand), I am just pointing out (and here we finally get to the marrow), every time people—you-- listen to my work for free, be it on Youtube, Reverbnation, etc., they/you are ripping me off. No, despite what morons like 'Will I Ain’t' spew, music is not created by artists to sell ‘product’ (as in, for example,  crappy, over-priced headphones, etc.).  That idiot (Will I Isn’t) even said Miles Davis made music to sell trumpets! No shit. He said that, in an interview on the BBC that touted him as a techno-prophet genius (he heartily agreed) (read “profit.” Two words: ‘My Humps.’ Enough said). Easy for him to say—he’s already made millions from his insipid crap.

If each one of my thousands of ‘likes’ and ‘views’ paid for just one download at $.99 apiece—less than one American dollar-- I wouldn’t be in this financial mess and I could make even cooler videos. Not just me, but many other actual ‘artists’ (pardon my pretension/arrogance here)…again, not the plethora of bullshit ‘noise’ ‘ambient’ ‘experimental’ ‘drone’ ‘EDM’ ‘DJ” ‘soundscape’, ‘chip’etc. wankers (99% of the time euphemisms for clueless, delusional saps that know nothing of music, or how to make it), geezers who put together cool sounds readily available in free software, twiddle some knobs and add lots of reverb, effects or loops, and call themselves ‘artists’ and have their sycophantic pals fawn all over them—this even includes many ‘famous’ gits (some wear masks); you figure out who. If the shoe pinches, go barefoot.

"One always has to remember these days where the garbage pail is, because it's so easy to make sounds, and to put sounds together into something that appears to be music, but it's just as hard as it always was to make good music." - Robert Moog

Every day--literally, I am very pleased to get messages from all over the universe, complimenting my audio and video work. I am truly grateful for this, but, pardon my crassness—“money talks.” On youtube alone, in 4 years I have amassed about 65,000 views for my videos (again, I am not PSY, thank Zeus). However, I am $40,000 in debt. Something is wrong here.

Finally: If you ‘like’ my material—any of my ‘songs’ or videos—please download a track, or one of my albums (CDs, either digitally or purchase the physical disc. I spend a lot of time and money making cool CD covers and packages. You are missing out on the ‘album’experience’ …your loss; a cool art form).

As they say in the church, “Show me the Love (equals money).” While I really do appreciate your ‘likes’ and kind words, they do not pay my bills.

Cheers,

LN

These sites await your love offerings:

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LeeNegin

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lee-negin/id357053891?ign-mpt=uo%3D4  (and Internationally)

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lee%20negin (and Internationally)

http://leenegin.com

http://passingphasemusic.com

 

Streaming (Spotify, etc.) is like urine. Better than a catheter, i.e., free downloads, but not by much.

PS- If I’ve alienated anyone with this rant, that’s cool. I’m an alien, too. 

Reviews Coming In

The reviews for my new Technopera album, released 20 June, are appearing internationally. Here are a few:

“Lee Negins new ‘Technodelic” craziness, “The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” will surely keep you awake! Once you think you have it figured out, the music takes you in a completely different direction. What is more surprising—beyond Negin’s mastery, sound quality and his sheer brilliance—is that the world he creates, while appearing ‘absurd’ and ‘bizarre’--is much less absurd than the ‘real’ world most of us apparently inhabit. If Negin’s aim was to point out the absurdities of our society and contemporary life, then he hit the nail fully on the head.” – Gianmaria Consiglio (Esteemed Italian Music Journalist)

"Man, it's a sonic journey of epic proportions. In the world of opera, the Cheeze is mighty indeed. Negin doesn't so much hit the funk button, as kick it all the way to Neptune. I'm loving it." - Simon Humphrey (UK Producer/Engineer: The Clash, Culture Club, David Byrne, Hans Zimmer, Jeff Beck, etc.)

"Lee Negin, the soundscape master, dazzles once again, with more mind-bending sounds and hard beats shaped into his latest “Technopera” (Techno Opera). "The Chronicles of Cheeze: Volume V” is like ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ on an acid trip. There are various, nicely crafted dance numbers but in many places, this adventure sounds a little like a trippy radio play. Chill to a kaleidoscope of sounds and literally, when you want to go somewhere else, like a fine wine, you get more and more from repeated tasting. At times, the album reminds me of The Orb, KLF, Talking Heads and Future Sound of London, all rolled into one but Negin started his noted career before everyone mentioned. Leave your concept of time at the front door. There is never a dull moment, and the pace is nice and steady with a few techno numbers laced with prime sound cuts. You might just forget that an alien is talking to you."   - Paul 'DeJay' Readman  (Music World Radio (UK) Host)

"Eclectic and prophetic, your first listening of Lee Negin’s latest orchestral offering, the psychoelectric, technodelic opera, “The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” may well leave you a little breathless, perhaps even somewhat disorientated. Be strong. You will recover in time to succumb to an even more powerful and irresistible desire to delve still deeper into the oscillating musical mosaic that this master of cross-genre, cross-cultural, cross-galaxy ceremonies has conjured up for discerning listeners from the planet Earth. Part of an epic cycle of Technoperas that are loosely patterned after Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen”, “The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” finds its operative roots in some of the concept albums of the seventies (Frank Zappa’s “Studio Tan” in particular comes to mind) and its artistic expression in the masterly creative use of cutting-edge, electronic technology.  With artistic playfulness that belies far deeper concerns, Lee uses the "Chronicles of Cheeze" to peel the lid off the can of worms that this bloated, egocentric, consumer-driven society has created, and at the same time gives a sidelong poke at the current trend of pre-moulded, loop-and-sequence singles that has infiltrated and sadly debased the modern-day, electronic, musical scene.
Lee Negin quotes Krishnamurti on the album sleeve as saying, “It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society”. Well, after listening to “The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” it would be difficult for anybody not to agree that this album is a mighty powerful medicine!" - Tony "The Toe' Lawson, (Master, concierge and major-domo of IndieGuild, net)

You are invited to join the exclusive club of cool space and kittens. Purchase the CD, or download at:

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LeeNegin
Amazon (International)
iTunes (Universal)
and other select Record, Tape and Head Shops across the globe.

Stay in touch at:

http://passingphasemusic.com
http://www.facebook.com/LeeNegin1
https://twitter.com/umeboshiroshi

Remember: "Good music isn't free!" - Father Ben Dover

Negin's Technopera Unleashed!

 

“The Smeagol has landed!” – Commander Beam-O

“Help spread the bovine ‘Gospel of Cheeze’s TM. ‘”– Father Ben Dover

Electronica/Techno Savant Lee Negin releases new “Technopera,” The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V on June 20, 2014 (Passing Phase Records)

Continuing his epic cycle of Technoperas--patterned after Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (‘The Ring Cycle’) -- Lee Negin launches his electric and eclectic new album, The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V (Passing Phase Records) with an official release on June 20^th, 2014. The material is a blend of Techo-funk-psychedelic-jazz-world-rock-ambient-electronica-experimenatal-social satire-irony-mysticism-prog-surrealism-dadaism-industrial-pop-metal-Musique concrete-Western Classical-impressionism, etc., Negin’s usual musical milieu.

"Hearing this artist's expertly produced work is to experience a vision aimed beyond the realm of pop. ...Negin never offers the same sound twice, employing singers as ensemble instruments and working with sounds in a way that reminds us at times of Brian Eno, Aphex Twin and Wendy Carlos." - Music Connection Magazine

“Lee Negins new ‘Technodelic” craziness, “The Cheeze Chronicles: Volume V” will surely keep you awake! Once you think you have it figured out, the music takes you in a completely different direction. What is more surprising—beyond Negin’s mastery, sound quality and his sheer brilliance—is that the world he creates, while appearing ‘absurd’ and ‘bizarre’--is much less absurd than the ‘real’ world most of us apparently inhabit. If Negin’s aim was to point out the absurdities of our society and contemporary life, then he hit the nail fully on the head.” – Gianmaria Consiglio (Esteemed Italian Music Journalist)

"Man, it's a sonic journey of epic proportions. In the world of opera, the Cheeze is mighty indeed. Negin doesn't so much hit the funk button, as kick it all the way to Neptune. I'm loving it." - Simon Humphrey (UK Producer/Engineer: The Clash, Culture Club, David Byrne, Hans Zimmer, Jeff Beck, etc.)

Album sonics are impeccable. Recorded and mixed in Negin’s state-of-the-art studio in Seoul, the album was mastered by one of the preeminent mastering engineers in the world, Pete Maher in London. Pete has worked with U2, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones, etc.

The album will be released as a limited edition CD, with cover art by a brilliant young Korean illustrator-cartoonist, Juyong Lee. It will also be released digitally and available at CD Baby, Amazon (Internationally) iTunes, etc.

First single and video from the album, “(Let’s Join) The Twit Parade” released 13 June. Video at  http://youtu.be/SWSU62zT1ow

Lee Negin Online: http://leenegin.com,  http://passingphasemusic.com (includes sound samples and reviews), http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LeeNegin

www.youtube.com/user/passingphasemusic  http://www.facebook.com/LeeNegin1

Address inquiries/join mailing list at  passingphasemusic@gmail.com

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LeeNegin

Amazon.com  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lee+negin&x=13&y=14

Amazon.co.uk  http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=Lee%20Negin&tag=bandweblogsba-21&index=aps&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738

Amazon.co.jp  http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_ja_JP=%83J%83%5E%83J%83i&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lee+negin&x=7&y=13

Amazon.de  http://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_de_DE=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lee+negin&x=10&y=14

Amazon.fr  http://www.amazon.fr/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_fr_FR=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=lee+negin&x=13&y=14

ITunes  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lee-negin/id357053891?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

And other cool shops internationally.

Lee Negin, "(Let's Join) The Twit Parade

Lee Negin, "(Let's Join) The Twit Parade